Over the last few centuries in the musical sphere, there has been an interest in stringed instruments that include sympathetic strings. Many of these instruments have the sympathetic strings aligned with and underlying the standard strings; these aligned strings are often partially disposed within the instrument body. For example, a traditional Norwegian stringed instrument called the hardanger fiddle is essentially a violin with four standard strings plus four or five under-strings or sympathetic strings that resonate under the influence of the standard four strings. These additional strings are aligned with the standard strings and run from inside the neck to the outside the body above the instrument's soundboard. These under-strings are not accessible for plucking. Another example of an instrument with sympathetic strings is the Baroque voila d'amore that similarly has both standard bowed strings and additional strings that run at least partially outside the body of the instrument; they run under and are aligned with the bowed strings. A third example is the Indian sitar which has a long hollow neck, squat body, and six or seven plucked standard strings that run over the curved, raised frets along with aligned sympathetic strings that run underneath the frets to resonate in sympathy with the plucked strings. These stringed instruments with aligned strings do not allow a musician to readily pluck the sympathetic strings, thus restricting the musical sounds produced to resonant sounds.
A few instruments with sympathetic strings have sympathetic strings that are not aligned with and disposed under the primary strings. An example of this is the harp-guitar, which has harp-like strings attached to a second arm. The harp-guitar has both the standard guitar strings on the guitar neck and a set of harp-like strings positioned to the side of the standard strings but extending onto an arm that projects upward separate from the guitar neck, giving the appearance of a two-necked guitar. This second arm significantly changes the aesthetics and artistic design of the guitar. Not only might the harp-guitar design be considered unwieldly and/or awkward, but also it does not fit into any standard stringed instrument case.
Thus, though interest in stringed instruments with sympathetic strings has been demonstrated over the years, the proposed stringed instruments with sympathetic strings lack some advantageous features. Some do not position the sympathetic strings for plucking or strumming. Some present an awkward appearance. Some cannot fit into any conventional instrument case. A bowed instrument with sympathetic strings would provide advantages over these instruments by broadening the repertoire of sounds and acoustics of the instrument, which would provide benefits to both players and composers. Not only could an instrument with sympathetic strings deliver the standard sounds of the bowed strings, but it could provide a longer resonation than the standard bowed strings, and it could additionally provide the possibility of non-traditional plucking and strumming sounds. Plus, sympathetic strings positioned in an elegant, visually pleasing manner without disrupting the overall look of the stringed instrument would provide advantages in aesthetics and in in facilitating storage and transport in available cases. Accordingly, there is a need for a bowed instrument enhanced with sympathetic strings positioned efficiently and attractively.